Dating people from church

A thorough understanding of God’s standards for dating and marriage is one of the greatest blessings children can receive from their parents.

Some people, however, are far past that point, having already reached adulthood, married and divorced. Because adults are older, does that give them license for more liberties than adolescents may take? The Bible teaches that God’s standards for dating apply to people of all ages.

The foundation for a good marriage is laid long before the wedding ceremony. Before parents allow dating, they should teach and encourage their children to follow biblical standards rather than turning them loose to do whatever comes naturally.

When we first begin dating, it should be for the purpose of social development-that is, learning about the opposite sex and the many differences in human personality, values and temperament.

Teaching young people God’s standards before allowing them to date may sound terribly old-fashioned and restrictive.

Youth need instruction early as to why and how biblical values can protect them from such suffering.We’ll share with you some frank answers about the consequences of premarital sex and popular myths about sex.And finally, we’ll share some advice given by people who have committed their lives to godly dating.As people move on to one sexual relationship after another, not only do they have to deal with the pain of these broken bonds, they establish the habit of short-term sexual relationships-a way of thinking that is more often than not carried over into marriage.No wonder those who have sex prior to marriage have more divorces than those who don’t.They are also the building blocks of communities, societies and, ultimately, civilizations. Though the Bible gives no specific age when dating is appropriate, wise parents will teach their maturing children sound biblical principles that will help them follow God’s standards of behavior.A society is only as strong as its marriages and families. Parents should determine when their children are ready to date based on their maturity and readiness to accept responsibility for their actions.If the couple breaks up and the two start dating others, the common assumption is that they are then free to have sexual relations with their new partners.This practice of serial monogamy-being sexually active with only one other person at a time-is widely considered to be a suitable way to date and find a future spouse.One of the first penalties of serial monogamy is emotional suffering.The sexual act creates an emotional bond between a man and a woman.